Benito Floro (pictured) was named Alajuelense head coach and sporting director on December 23, 2016. (Photo courtesy of Canada Soccer)
ALAJUELA, Costa Rica – Alajuelense announced Friday that it has appointed Benito Floro as head coach and sporting director, inking the Spaniard to a three-year deal.
The 64-year-old was most recently in charge of Canada, posting a 9W-10D-11L record from August 2013 through September 2016, departing after it was eliminated from 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying.
"The board of directors, following a comprehensive evaluation and considering the candidate's curriculum, economic feasibility and possibility of future sports success, made the decision to appoint Mr. Benito Floro as sports director of the institution and head coach of the first division side for the next three years,” said Alajuelense President Fernando Ocampo.
Floro has coached numerous teams across the globe, including Villarreal (Spain, 1988-89 & 2002-04), Real Madrid (Spain, 1992-94), Vissel Kobe (Japan, 1998), Monterrey (Mexico, 1999-2001), Barcelona SC (Ecuador, 2009) and Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco, 2011-12).
He guided Real Madrid to titles in the 1993 Copa del Rey and the 1993 Spanish Super Cup.
In the recently completed 2016 Costa Rican Invierno, Alajuelense finished third in both the regular-season and Quadrangular standings. The last of its 29 domestic titles came in the 2013 Invierno.
